To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act by designating the Lower Salmon River in Idaho as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 17, 1994

Mr. LAROCCO introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

October 3, 1994

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

[Insert the part printed in italic]

A BILL

To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act by designating the Lower Salmon River in Idaho as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Lower Salmon River Recreational and Scenic Rivers Act of 1994’.

SEC. 2. RECREATIONAL AND SCENIC RIVER DESIGNATIONS.

(a) IN GENERAL- Section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

‘( ) LOWER SALMON RIVER, IDAHO- (A)(i) The 23.7 mile segment from Long Tom Bar in the southeast quarter of section 31, township 25 north, range 5 east to the line between range 1 east and range 2 east, to be administered by the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior as a recreational river.

‘(ii) The 35.3 mile segment from the line between range 1 east and range 2 east to the mouth of Hammer Creek in the southwest quarter of section 15, township 28 north, range 1 east, to be administered by the Secretary of the Interior as a recreational river.

‘(iii) The 53 mile segment from Hammer Creek to the confluence of the Snake River, to be administered by the Secretary of the Interior as a scenic river.

‘(B) Notwithstanding subsection (b), the boundaries of the public lands of the segments described in subparagraph (A) shall be the boundaries of the public lands withdrawn by the Secretary of the Interior through Public Land Order 6629, effective November 13, 1986, and Public Land Order 6670, effective April 1, 1988, and for those lands not included in Public Land Orders 6629 and 6670, the boundaries shall be the legal subdivision line nearest one-quarter mile from the mean high water line of the river.’.

(b) LIMITATION- Nothing in this Act, or in the amendment to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act made by this Act, shall be construed as authorizing any acquisition of any scenic easement that without the consent of the landowner would affect any regular use of relevant lands that was exercised prior to the acquisition of such easement. Nothing in this Act, or in the amendments to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act made by this Act, shall affect any existing use of the Lower Salmon River, provided that such use occurs at levels consistent with the resource management plan.

SEC. 3. PERMANENT WITHDRAWAL.

The withdrawals made by the Secretary of the Interior through Public Land Order 6629, effective November 13, 1986, and Public Land Order 6670, effective April 1, 1988, are made permanent.

SEC. 4. STUDY OF ROCK CREEK.

Section 5(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1271 and following) is amended by adding the following at the end thereof:

‘( ) ROCK CREEK, MONTANA- The segment downstream from its headwaters to its confluence with the Clark Fork, including its tributaries.’.